Every step you take, Google will be watching you

Cell phone GPS is no big deal in the tech industry — it has been around for a while on various “smart” cell phones. Google took the concept behind this existing technology and on Wednesday unveiled how it is modifying this idea into something new and different. Google is looking to give those without a GPS equipped phone the ability to use their phone as a locater on Google Maps.

The feature which is available for most cell phones which are able to access Google maps. Typically only smart-phones come with built in GPS. Google estimates that the vast majority of user’s cell phones — 85 percent — do not contain GPS support.

Full article: dailytech.com 

Labels: GPS, locator, Maps, mobile, My Location, phone

There's a reason GPS units are so popular among geeks and non-geeks alike: people get lost easily and often. A map is helpful... if you can figure out where you are to begin with. Google knows this, which is why it has rolled out a new beta to its mobile mapping service that will allow users to automatically determine their location without GPS.

Called "My Location," the feature comes as part of the release of version 2.0 of Google Maps for mobile. My Location uses cell tower ID information to determine (approximately) where you are. Google says that it uses special "Google-developed-algorithms" to determine this, which sounds like fancy talk for triangulation (a supported phone can determine how far it is from the three closest cell towers and then pinpoint the approximate spot of the caller).

Full article: arstechnica.com 

Labels: beta, GPS, Maps, mobile, My Location